If you or your child play contact sports like soccer, baseball, softball, volleyball, skateboarding, martial arts, hockey, or lacrosse you require a mouthguard. Whether you have braces or not, mouthguards help protect you or your child from sports injuries and chipped or cracked teeth.
The American Dental Association estimates that sports mouthguards can prevent over 200,000 injuries. This year alone, it is estimated that more than 5 million teeth will be knocked out due to sports. Visit Dr. Patel in Hoffman Estates for general dentistry services for the whole family.
Custom Sports Mouthguards in Hoffman Estates, IL
Mouthguards offer multiple benefits to patients who play contact sports. Custom mouthguards:
- Minimize the risk of bruising and injury to the soft tissues in the mouth
- Reduce the chance of contact sports-related concussions
- Help minimize the risk of chipped and damaged teeth
- Reduce the risk of knocked-out teeth
- Allow the wearer to speak clearly
- Protect the lower jaw from trauma
- Reduce stress on the neck
If you think that you or your child would benefit from a professional mouth guard, visit our family and general dentistry or call Best Dental Spa at 847.660.6603.
Treatment with Mouthguards
Custom-fit professional mouthguards save our patients from replacing missing teeth or treating chipped and cracked teeth with dental crowns or tooth bonding. A preventative measure like a mouthguard saves money in the long run and can even reduce the chance of injury or concussion. Over-the-counter “boil and bite” mouthguards that are not custom-fit can easily fall out and may interfere with breathing and speaking. They also may not be as comfortable as custom professional mouthguards.
Dr. Dhara Patel will create a mold of your teeth to fabricate a mouthguard that conforms to the mouth. A customized and more comfortable fit may lead to improved endurance on the field without the need for jaw clenching to keep the mouthguard in place. Mouthguards should be cleaned regularly with an antibacterial solution and thoroughly cleaned once a month to keep it fresh and fight decay-causing bacteria.
Custom Mouthguards FAQs
How does a mouthguard protect your teeth?
Mouthguards cover your top teeth and protect the soft tissues that are in your mouth as well as your mouth, gums and jaw. Custom-fitted mouthguards provide a higher level of protection than general mouthguards by fitting as an exact mold to your teeth. This allows for higher comfort, improved ability to speak and breathe, and a lower chance of it slipping and falling out.
Will a mouthguard stop me from grinding my teeth?
Mouthguards create a physical barrier between your upper and lower teeth to protect them from teeth grinding. They will not stop you from grinding your teeth, but wearing one specifically made for teeth grinding issues to bed will reduce the sound that is produced from grinding, and provide a barrier between your teeth to prevent further damage.
How do you fit your mouthguard?
At-home custom-fit mouthguards are made by boiling water, softening the mouthguard in it, and physically molding the softened mouthguard to your mouth at the desired fit. Professional custom-fitted mouthguards take an impression using dental putty or a digital scan of your mouth, which forms to teeth to create an exact mold of your teeth. These are slightly more expensive, but they also fit much better and are more protective than the at-home alternative.
Does a custom-fit mouthguard improve my ability to breathe in it?
Custom-fit mouthguards allow users to breathe naturally and take in more oxygen. In sports, this is particularly useful because athletes can breathe comfortably without slowing down to catch their breath. Difficulty breathing in sports causes premature fatigue, so having a custom-fit mouthguard can make an athlete’s endurance increase.
Schedule an Appointment
Call Best Dental Spa today for comprehensive preventative care at 847.660.6603. You can also schedule an appointment with Dr. Patel online. Dr. Patel and her team aim to provide a relaxed and friendly environment for patients of all ages.
